Rep. Joe Wilson Demands NHL Review of Ovechkin's Putin Ad

U.S. Representative Joe Wilson has called on NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to review the participation of Alexander Ovechkin in a campaign advertisement for United Russia, the ruling party of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a letter sent this week, Wilson described the appearance as "shameful" and "alarming," noting that the Washington Capitals captain appeared alongside Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan ahead of Russia's September 18-20 parliamentary elections.

Ovechkin filmed the advertisement during the summer of 2026 while visiting his home in Moscow. The Washington Capitals defended the athlete, stating he was "asked by his country to participate" in the campaign. The appearance has also drawn criticism from Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek and Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, who accused Ovechkin of supporting Russia's war in Ukraine.

While Ovechkin has previously described himself as an athlete rather than a politician and issued a plea for peace following the 2022 invasion, he has a long history of supporting Putin, including founding the "PutinTeam" movement in 2017. Representative Wilson has requested that the NHL clarify its policies regarding players participating in political propaganda for foreign regimes and urged the league and the Capitals to distance themselves from the actions.